Straw-spreader.



D. GARST. STRAW SPREADERY. APPLICATION FILED OCT- I9, |914.

"Patented July 20, 1915. L

DI STRAW SPREADER. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.1'9, 191.4.

'f PatentedJuly 20, 1915.

sHEETs-SHEET 5 D.`GARST. 'l STRAW SPBEADER. Arme/111011 mtu ocr. 19, 1914.

D. GARST. V'STRAW SPREADER.

vM"PLICA`|'{ON FILED OCT. I9, 1914. 4

Patented July 20, 1915.

SHEETS-SHEET 7..-

DUDLEY Gasse, or WATERLOO, iowa.

STRAYV-SPREADER.

Application ledvOctObel I9, 1914. Serial N0. 867,376,

151217,01 2. Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern: 'l

, Be it known that I,DUDLE Y Gmzs'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Waterloo, in the county of Blackhawkand lState of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Spreaders, of which the following is a specification,

reference being had therein' t0. the, aqompnyngdrawings,

lo In the operatlon of-stravv spre'adersit is.

desirable that the load'be evenly distributed I under all conditions of service and that there i be uniform operation of the device.k Whether there bei a full or partlo'ad therein so that. the amount deliveredI is .the same at beginning of the take ofof. the loadasit is at the :last end.' It .is alsodesirablet Vadjust the feedingv devices vto meetLNariOU. conditions of the material 'handled as well as those v n' ableprop'ortioning of the cross members;6

under which the machine is working.

This mvention relates to a 'straw spreaderl wherein provislon is' made for preventing even feeding conditions uponth'eload and for maintaining a constant delivery thatis y i entirely independent of the amount of strawf in the machine.

' The invention also includes a. rack con-- struction whereby capacity and width are secured and the rackmade applicable yto a" running gear of narrow tread; and` further-l to means for regulating feeding and tensioning -vdevices and for other adjustments that Yare advisable in this type of machine. c In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation of a straw spreader that embodies features of the invention; Fig. 2.is a view in elevation of the opposite side of the machine; Fig.l 3 is a view in rear elevation vof 4o the'ma'chine;'Fig. 4 is a plan view of a part of the machine with parts removed to pre- L vent confusion; Fig. 5 ,is a plan view of a vportion of the machine body with adjusting driving mechanism and jchain wheel guards;

Fig. 6 is a view in detail in side elevation showinga main driving gear in idle position; Fig. 7 isa. view in detail ofa sprocket afdjustment; Figs. 8 and 9 are views in detail of a differential driving mechanism; Fig. l10 is a view iny detail of anadjustable shaft bearing; 1l is a l view in detailf'of a spring shifting fork; Fig. 12 is a sidelelevation of the "rack or body showing certain modificationsin the construction; and Fig. 13

is a rear end elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, a runningzgear' facilitate ,nl'Gad-ing binding of the loadas it'settles, for imposing accessiblelt Ainain's a -able manner.traisietselygof th ain Patented Juiy 2o?, 1915.

, reach L in thelu'sual manneri'l- Lqngitudinal 50 sills 5 rest on these holsters and carry transverse members 6 that span and extend laterally beyond the driving ort'raction 4wheel to give the1lfdesired width to the rack anprovide the necessary carrying capacity for @s the machine. Stanchions 7 are secured by suitable strapitblacesdilute,thea ammenda portions 0f i1-@0F05 Pese iri; wardlyf'i inclined positien'-V Lriglldll@ Strips-85er suitable material ofmgjqwghesesjanpims .7o

.and with suitably disposed v'fd'rward rack members 9 complete aclosedrack that is .wider at the base than at thetop and that,

is narrower at the front than at the. rear, thisv latter resultbeing' obtained by a suit ,7 5

j .at 13, y and, the strips f8, vbeing likel i *wise severed to form hinged side portions.

lThen in raised'or closed position, these sides are locked in place hylatch bars 14 that may e5 be `simultan'eously operated by a handle bar 15 to engage latch plates 1 6, the latchbar lieing extended downwardly so as' to bereadii'y -f person standingvwbeside thek i. n

153011 cal.,

machine.'

'.2? l preferably to th'el-fi'ear'fo'fthe traction driv ing'wheels 2 and apa-ir of main driving, sprockets 18- 'are mounted on thetraction 975 Wheels 2. In preferred vform these sprockets i are annular with carrying bolts 19 supporting them on the wheel spokes 20, oppositely disposed check nu ts`21 (Fig. 7) permitting lateraladjustment. Apair ofvspro'cket p inr 100 ions 22 are seclifedien:..tlleillfiiiileline' nient with this? ain= fspr tsddltgengage sprocket chains 29a the; EPG?? a9., y l

a throv1 out pinion 2 5 located at the forward 105 side'of its sprocket 18, ."Ihe sprockets 22 are eah'connected by suitable differential mechanisms to the shaft 17,which comprises, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a disk 2G made fast rota-table. Aiswinging-vdogf28carried-bythe disk engages projections 29 on the sleeve I a ,spring 30 being provided to hold the dog in4 engagement therewith and cause the sprocket and'shaft to turn together in onedirection. A rock shaft 31 is mounted across the sills t the forward sideof the traction wheels 2, preferably in bearings that are` justable longitudinally of. the sillsalndcolistructed as shown, in Fig'. 10 with-'an under:

block 32, a cap33 and holding4 bolts 34 that pass through longitudinal slots 35- in the' superposed parts.

A rock arm 36 on the rock shaft, is operated by a throw-in lever 37 which is adjacent thel drivers station, and' 4.is preferably connected to the rock arm,byf i.p `a longitudinally yieldable connectionatlz'ord-f ed by a rod 38 that passes through a fork 3 9 pivotally attached to the arm and through it spring 40 thatis in compression between the fork base and a suitable late-or keeper ,41.onthe end of the rod. y en inl forward position the lever 37 interlocks with a latch at the rear of the traction wheels and. can rying at their freee!1dsio1ers 47 to engage ,f the lower runSMo-fhthechains 23 when the lever 37gisswung forwardly to swing they sprockets' 25lip'wardly and 'raise the chain out of contact `sritli'iahe driving sprockets' 18.

vThe idlers 47a'i'e thusv swung upwardly simultaneously lwiththe sprockets 25 and Iform supports for the lower runs of thel chains to old them out of engagement with the driving sprocket-s on the ltraction wheels .and in engagement with the under side of theidlers 241 which are provided with flanges overlapping the sprockets to guide' the chains into and out of engagement with the 'teeth of Vthe sprockets. The swinging idlers 47 also seri-'cto take up the slack in the chains.y

Acarrier drive shaft 93`extend1ng across the-rear 4endoithe machine has driving sprockets 48 disposed in pairs thereon to envgage s' rocket chains 50 forming side members o? endless conveyers each comprising a pairof said chainsand cross bars 53 These carrier chains pass forwardly over a suitable'bottom or floor 'for .the rack and around idler sprockets' 51 on.- shafts 52 -at the front end oi the machine, there being a separate shaftl 52 for each carrier to provide for differences in the chains.' The-cross members 53 of one carrier are preferably .arranged in staggered relation'to those of the otherv carriers to more evenly engage the load and' lessen the drag on the door. There 'is-a' great advantage in the construction in longitudinal sills 5 for supporting the rack.l are employed, as these sills rest di rectly upon' the holsters and -supporting the crossmembers which su port the floor and i extendA the-full width o the rack with the sides Of-fthe rackJ secured directly thereto.

Such.v sills interfere with the use of va -V single endless" carrier but by providing a4 plurality of" independent carriers to travel :in the spaces between the sills and between each sill'- and the rack side, a light, 'cheap and rigid-construction isl secured. 'lo preyvent the4 outer carriers y.from striking the guards 94 may be y ao J'Lx/Yarialble intermittent motion from front ,tractionwheela Wheel rovided ,if necessary.- f.

to :rear is given-'to the endless conveyers by means of a ratchet 4wheel 52 on one end of thumairifshaft, operated by a pawl 53 `*pivoted 'onl an'farm54 that is pivot'ally at-' ltached at one end to the rack side by a-stud 55 or the like.

A crank disk 56 on a counter shaft 57' driven 'by suitable sprocket and chain connections, indicated generally at 58 l(Fig. 2,) from` the main shaft 17, has a crank pin-59-that is coupled to the lever 54 by a link 60,` Variable stroke is given to the lever 54 by'ashiftable adjustment of the pin 59 which i yinou'nted'on an arm 61 pivoted at' one endsto the'disk 56` and adjustably secured at its opposite end to the plate by a clamping screw 62 movable in acurved -slot '163.A in vthe disk so that by swing-A ingthe arm the crank'pin may be vmoved 'toward or from the a-Xis of rotation of the disk... The link may also be shiftedon the barl 54 with which -it has a sliding block connection indicated at 65, said block being' shiftedlongitudinally by means of a hand lever 66 connected to the block by rods 67 and 68.' A dog 69 'engaging the ratchet wheell 52 'prevents' retrograde r movement of 'the'parts This arrangement gives anmesired throw,l and providesY the preferred iris termittent movement. v

A beaterI drum 70 is secured on the shaft 57 and is 'provided with lingers 71th`at are f preferably olrliquely disposed as indicated.

A companion'drum 72 with vsimilarly "disf posed fingers 73 is journaled -in spaced rela- ;tion above the shaft 57 on the rear rack astanchionsand is operated from `said'shaft by sprockets 74 and a chain 75.` 4A pressure 'shaft 76 on the. upper part of the rack at its rear end carries forwardly extending pres surelfingers 77 with upturned forward ends,

and reinforcements 78 or stiffening bars are w preferablyv added thereto. lf left free to swing about the shaft 76 the pressure ngers will follow thepload down as it settlesdown in the rack, butin order' to raise them-'put of the way in loading and to hold themin adjusted position, a hand crank 79 is mounted on the rack side within convenient reach of a person standing on the ground and is s'e-` 'of lthe end preferably ir cured to a pulley 82 connected as by a belt 80 or alike flexible connection, with a pulley S1 on the shaft 76, a dog 83 and ratchet wheel 84 being provided to hold the pulley 82 against turning and the fingers' in the desired position. y

In order to increase the pressure of the bars 77 upon the load beyond their wei ht when turned down upon the l.load with ,he dog 83 disengaged from ythe wheel 84, a tensioning dev' e is employed. This device is the form `of a seginentalarin 85 pivoted to the side ofthe rack in the path portions of a forked plate 86 that is securel to the 4shaft 76.. The downwardly projectii g end portion 87 of the yoke 85 is yieldinglj' connected as by a spring 88 with a lever 1 having a forward en'd portion provided with a handle 92 lind notches to adjustably interlock withva suitable member 91 nearthe forwardA end of the rack. By swinging the `yoke85 ineither direction, the necessary frictionalengagement to produce the desired result, obtains between theyoke andthe fork plate, thereby yieldingly turning the bars with the desired yielding pressure intocontact with the load, said bars or fingers, the

' shaft 76`aiid pulleys 81 and 82, being free to turn, as the' dog 83 vis always disengaged from its'ratchet except when it is desired to hold the shaft and fingers against turning.

It will be noted in the construction of the rack, the two stanchions 7 at the rear end of each rack side are offull length, extending to the top of the frame and forming a suitable .rigid frame work for supporting the beaters and presser bars, the longitudinal stanchions and secured to the upper end por -tions 12 of the other stanchions to form the hinged sides vof the rack. Asillustrated in the modified construction shown in Figs. 12

and 13, this supporting frame workis arranged to lfurther increase its strength and rigidity by extending Athe stanchions 95 and plane of the lower edges ofthe sills 5 andconnecting the stanchions 95 by a cross bar 97 which is vsecured to the rear ends of the sills. The part s In Fig. 12 suitable means is shown for raising and lowering each of the hinged sides, comprising a stub shaft 109I having a the hinged side with its longitudinal axis in 89 which is operated by a 'rod 90 f coincidence with the axes of the hinge pintles. By turning the crank, the side may be quickly and easilyswung downward or up# ward into closed .position where it may be held by latch bars 107siinilar to the bars 14,

' each V,of which are operated by a handle bar 1084 pivoted to the side within reach of the operator standing on the ground and conl nected at one end to thelatc'h bar interme diate the ends thereof by a link 109. f

One of the main features of 'this machine is thearrangement ofthe rack sides whereby as the load settlesand is moved rear-.p

w'ardly, it does not bind against the sides as it otherwise would, and this is due to the inclined and oblique'relation of the sideswhich lfrees the load'and permits the conveyers tog? readily move it against the beaters.

Another feature is the combination of longitu'dinal supporting sills adapted to besecured directlyto the holsters, with a plurality of carriers between and outside of the sills covering the bottom of the rack which therefore be made wide Aenough to give the desired capacity and will have the necessary strength and lightness of construction.

strips 8. being severed just forwardly of these of each rack side Awhich extends upward at'- the end of each 'hinged portion Iisr-mad`e strong and rigid by cured to the stanchions and I96 near their inner ends and extending downwardly and forwardly below. the lower edge Vof the hinged part. That portion of the rack upon which the greatest strain comes and which a diagonal brace98 sev i Other features of the invention arethe means by which the operator may adjust the vtension on the load so as to hold it properly in contact with the conveyer and thereby allow the latterrto force it evenly against the beaters; andthe disposition of the adjusting members so that they may be readily reached from the operators station and permit the user to yvary the feed as he, desires while the machine is' iii-operation.

Obviously changes in the details of construction inay `be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not limit myself to the particular form` or arrangement of'parts.

WhatIclaim iszn l 1. In a straw. spreader, the combination .with a running gear and traction vwheels --therefor, of a rack mounted on the running gear' having a bottom and sides which arev inclined inwardly towardV their upper edges, means for'ejecting straw fromA the rack, and means for transmitting motion! from the traction wheelsv to operate said ejecting means. y f

2.- In a straw spreader, the combination with a yrunninggearI and'tractii'r wheels therefor, of a rack mounted on the running-` gearhaving sides whichdiverge rearuiardly f andconverge toward their upper edges,

means in the bottom ofthe l,rack for moving straw rearwardly thereon, means at the rear i, inclined position, ejec'ting means supported 5 end of the rack for ejecting straw, and 'mean for transmitting motion from the -tra-ctlon wheels to operate said moving and ejecting l extending laterally therefrom beyond the means. .A

3. Ina straw spreader, the combination with a running gear and tract1on wheels therefor, of a rack having longitudinal-sills, cross bars secured to the sills and extending laterally beyond the'traction wheels, a floor on the cross bars, and. rack sides secured toV the cross bars near their ends in an inwardly' by the rear endsof the sides, a carrier movable over the floor, and means ,for transmitting. motion from the traction wheels 'to drive the carrier and ejecting meav 4. In a straw spreader, the combination with a running gear and traction wheels thereon, of a rack on the running gear hav- 4 'ing longitudinally extending supporting sills, cross bars on said sills extending laterally beyond the sills and beyond the traction wheels, a floor on said cross bars'forming the bottom ofthe rack, and rackv sides secured to the cross bars near their ends, a plurality. of separate endless carriers movable longitudinally between and, at the sides of said sills and over the floor, .and means for transmitting motion from ,the traction wheels'to operate the carriers.

. 5. In a straw spreader, the combination with a running, gear and traction wheels therefor, of a rack having a pair of longitudinally extending parallel supportingsills and a rack bottom Von saidsills extending laterally' over h and beyond the ftraction wheels, an endless carrier -movable longitudinally of said sills between the same and I over said rack bottom, an endless carrier at each sidel of the pair ofsills movable longisaid carriers, together traversing substantially the entire upper surface of said bottom, and means for operating said carrier.

6. In afstraw spreader," the combination with a running gear and traction wheels for the same, of av rack comprising longitudinally extending parallel sllls secured ,to` the runing gear, cross bars spanning thelsills and extending laterally beyond the sameand beyondthe traction wheels, a rack bottom on saidcross bars, stanchion's secured to the y cross bars near the ends-thereof `and extending upwardly therefrom, in an inwardly inclined`position, longitudinal strips secured tothe stanchions and forming therewith rack sides which converge toward the upper edges, shafts extending 'across the ends of Ythe rack, a plurality of endless carriers passv tion from said traction traction wheels for the" gear, of Ya rack hdvy bo sters, cross bars secured tothe sills and traction wheels, a rack bottom on said-cross in a pair-.of longitudinal sills securedto the Y bars,` and rack sides secured to the'cross bars A near the ends i'n a rearwardly diy-'verging and. upwardly converging .pos1tin, v`"jai fshaftp mounted in bearings at oneend of the vrack"4 bottom, va plurality ofv independent ,short shafts mounted in 'bearings at the Topp'ostef end of said rackbottom, anendlesscarrierpassing` around leach short shaft, beneath the, bottom'around' the other shaft "and over side o f each sillV movable longitudinally; thereof and said carrierstogethertraversing` substantially the entire up erfisurface of said bottom-,and means for turning thesaid vshaft for operatingthe carriers. l y 'f "y, 8. In a straw spreader,l the combination witha running gear, and traction'wheels, of

ev` rack bottom,y there being a carrier `betwen. f: the `sills and a carrier adjacent to the outer a rack comprising longitudinalsills, -cl'oss I -bars sec/ured to and exteiidinglaterally lbeyond the sides of said sills, stanchions Secured' to said cross bars near their ends in an inwardly inclined position, 'and connected by longitudinal strips to form rack sides,

certain of-said stanchions at one end ofthe rack being-,extended to the upper edge of the sides to form a rigid supporting frame for y the support-of ejecting devices, the ,other of said stanchions being made in two parts hinge connected and the 'upper parts con-l .K nected by 4strips to form movable side sections, ejecting devices mounted on the said,l

end stanchxions, and means for transmitting ymotion ffpm the traction wheels-'to drive vsaid ejeciing devices. tudinally thereof'and over the-rack bottom,

9.- In la straw spreader, the combination/.ff with .'a running gear, and traction wheels therefor, of a rack comprisinglongitudinalv sills, cross bars secured to said" sills and'extending laterally therefrom beyond the-traction Wheels,. rack sidespomprisin'g stanchions secured to said cross bars/ near their 'ends and .longitudinal strips securedto the stanchions, -the end stanchions at one end f each side being extendedbelow the cross barsand extended upwardly to the top of the sides, a cross memberv connecting the i lower ends of' said end stanchions and secured. tothe ends` of said sills, beaters mounted on said end stanchions, diagonal bracejmembers secured to said .endstanchiens` near the-upper ends thereof and ex- 10 rack same rearwardly therein, a presser -at the to?.` of the rack to engage the material and press the same downwardly in the rack, and means for operating said feeding means.

5 A"11. In "astraw spreader, the combination of a rack having sides which converge upwardly and diverge rearwardly, a carrier inl thel bottom of the rack for moving the straw rearwardly, means at the rear end of the for feeding the straw therefrom, a presser for forcing the straw downwardly in the rack upon the carrier. a tensioning /device for the presser-and means forv operating the carrier and the feeding means.

112. In a stray spreader, the combination of a rack 'having sides which convergeJ upwardly and ldiverge rearwardly, a carrier in the bottom oftlie rack, beaters at the rear end of the rack, a pivoted presser supported zo at the top of the `rack and adapted to swing downwardly and rearwardly therein, and means for operating said carrier and beaters. 13. In a straw spreader, the combmatlon of a rack, a carrier in the bottom of said rak, presser arms pivotally supported at one end upon the rack near its top to swing downwardly therein, tension means to vary the pressure ofthe swingingmovement upon the straw, and means for .operating the -carrier.

l14. In a straw spreader, the combination of a rack havingsides which converge upwardly and diverge rearwardly, a carrier in the bottom of the rack, beaters at the rear end of the rack, yieldable presser' arms pivotally supported at one end on said sides to swing downwardly and rearwardly in the rack,'means for varying the action of Said yielding means, and means for operating the beaters and carrier. y

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DUDLE GARST. Witnesses v 1 ANNA M. Donn, LEwIsE. FLANDERs. 

